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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24390025">Data's Concern</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurokun2338/pseuds/kurokun2338'>kurokun2338</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Daforge Short Treks [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Android Emotions, Bromance, Comforting Geordi, Concerned Data, Emotional Data (Star Trek), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Epic Bromance, Epic Friendship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Hugs, M/M, Male Friendship, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Romantic Friendship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:48:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24390025</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurokun2338/pseuds/kurokun2338</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Data is worried about a malfunction and Geordi is just a very good friend. 💕</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Data &amp; Geordi La Forge, Data/Geordi La Forge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Daforge Short Treks [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1710400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Data's Concern</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I guess right now we all need a little comfort and a loving hug - this is my contribution 🤗</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">"I told you we wouldn’t find anything.“ Geordi disconnected Data’s interface on the right side of his head from the console in his office. „You haven’t left the Enterprise for days, your self-diagnostics have been completely unremarkable and you show no malfunctions.“</p><p class="western">„A feeling is a malfunction, Geordi. At least in my case.“</p><p class="western">Geordi sighed and packed the cable away more violently than he usually did, as Data noted. „Data, I’ve been trying to make you understand for years that android feelings are to be taken seriously, too. Just because you feel something doesn’t mean it’s a malfunction.“</p><p class="western">„I have considered this explanation and dismissed it.“</p><p class="western">Geordi massaged his forehead and leaned against his console. „If you could at least explain what it feels like.“</p><p class="western">„I lack a comparison-“</p><p class="western">„No, no, I don’t want you to name the feeling, I want you to describe it.“</p><p class="western">Data was thinking. Having a feeling was hard enough, how could he describe something he could hardly grasp? „It is a lack. Something I need and currently do not have. But I do not always need it. So, it does not seem to be important for my general functioning, like my nutrient fluid. Nevertheless, a lack must be corrected.“</p><p class="western">Geordi scratched his head. „That’s right, my friend. But a lack of what if it’s not a vital necessity? Have you noticed any differences in intensity?“</p><p class="western">„As a matter of fact, I have. Since I have been here, the intensity has decreased slightly.“</p><p class="western">Now Geordi tucked his eyebrows together, as he always did when he brooded. „But you haven’t done anything since you got here. Except talk to me. And the diagnosis that didn’t help. Did you want to talk?“</p><p class="western">„We have been doing that for 20 minutes,“ Data noted. „If that would have been it, I should not feel the lack anymore.“</p><p class="western">„That’s true.“ Geordi sighed. Then he pushed himself off the console and put a hand on his shoulder. „I’m sorry, Data. I’ve no idea how to help you.“ Geordi squeezed his shoulder, then took his hand away. And Data felt something again.</p><p class="western">„Geordi, would you do that again, please?“</p><p class="western">„What do you mean?“</p><p class="western">„Put your hand on my shoulder.“</p><p class="western">Geordi did it. The lack diminished a little.</p><p class="western">„Now, please squeeze my shoulder.“</p><p class="western">Again, Geordi did as he was told. And again, the lack diminished a little more.</p><p class="western">„I am confused, Geordi.“ Data looked up at him. „The lack seems to be putting pressure on my body.“</p><p class="western">At first Geordi hesitated, then he laughed. „Data, that can’t be it. Besides, it’s not like I can press on your whole body.“ He stopped laughing. „Although ... Data, let me try something. Stand in front of me.“</p><p class="western">Data stood up and had no idea what flash of inspiration Geordi might have had. Then his friend pulled him to him, put one arm around his shoulders, the other around his back and pressed him against himself.</p><p class="western">Data’s body stiffened. He hadn’t been hugged very often, there were few even among his friends who wanted to give him this kind of physical affection. And each time it had been a strange experience where he had not known what to do. He knew what was expected of him, but that had rarely been what he himself had wanted to do: return the hug.</p><p class="western">But when Geordi embraced him, the sense of lack became less and less. And so, he put his arms around his best friend, carefully so as not to hurt him with his android strength. Not only did the feeling of lack decrease completely, but another feeling was blossoming inside him, something very gratifying.</p><p class="western">Data hugged Geordi a little harder, felt his heartbeat under his hand, his breath on his neck and the visor on his cheek. How did Geordi do that? How could he not only make an unpleasant feeling of lack disappear, but create a positive feeling inside him? He stored the moment under <em>Geordi Friendship</em> and <em>Android Feelings</em>.</p><p class="western">„Feeling better?“ Geordi asked, then stroked him across the back.</p><p class="western">„Hm.“ Data just enjoyed whatever it was that Geordi had triggered in him and closed his eyes.</p><p class="western">„When exactly did this feeling begin?“</p><p class="western">„When I finished my dream subroutine.“</p><p class="western">„Did you have a bad dream?“</p><p class="western">„It was a disturbing dream. I … was dismantled … by you. Geordi, why do I dream such horrible things? I know you would never do this to me.“</p><p class="western">Geordi squeezed him a little tighter. „Sometimes these things just happen in your dreams and don’t mean anything. I’ve also dreamed of terrible things happening to me. And even to you. But it has nothing to do with what we or people around us would actually do. Our brain just processes the impressions of the day and sometimes strange images and stories come out. Why didn’t you just come to me in the morning?“</p><p class="western">Data hesitated. „I guess I did not want to worry you with it, too. If there was indeed something wrong with my positronic matrix, you would have noticed it during the diagnostic.“</p><p class="western">Geordi relaxed the hug, which Data did in the same way. Then they parted, Geordi still had one hand on Data’s shoulder. „I guess you were just concerned of how I would react to the dream. Or the android equivalent of concern,“ he added when Data had already opened his mouth to contradict. „If that happens again, come right over. What you need after such a dream is a hug. I wouldn’t want you to not use your dream subroutine again in the future to avoid such dreams.“</p><p class="western">„I do not need sleep, it would not make a difference.“</p><p class="western">„Of course, it would. It would deprive yourself of further experience.“</p><p class="western">Data nodded. Geordi was right, of course. And Data had indeed not intended to use his dream subroutine again so soon. But now the lack was gone and he knew he had nothing to worry about. And that Geordi didn’t think badly of him because of the dream.</p><p class="western">„It seems I am already more human than I admit to myself.“</p><p class="western">Geordi smiled. „I’ve been telling you that for years.“</p>
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